Electrical connector



Nov. 4, 1941. CORNWELL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed May 20, 1939.

LEROY? CORNWELL- I Snventor v BB I attorney Patented Nov. 4; 19,41

2,261,615, ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR i Leroy Comwell, Spokane; Wash.- Application May 20, 1939, serial No. 274,752

Claims,

My present invention relates to improvements in electrical connectors for use in connection with electrical cord plugs in their attachment insuitable outlet sockets.v

l3 and I4 secured in the depression I! by means of rivets I5l'5, and they are provided with ten minal screws |6|6. I

The spring finger M has a mounting flange l1 extending at. right angles from the upper end An important object of the invention has been 5 of the finger, and this flange is secured in the the provision of an electric connector which can 7 depression l2 of the head I 0, as shown in the be positively secured in an electrical outlet so drawin by m ns of t rivet 15 and the r. that the connector cannot be accidentally rescrew l6. For t pu p se f r eiv n moved therefrm l the rivetand the screw the flange is provided Another object of th inv tion h b n to 10 with a rivet hole l8 and a screw hole- IS. I also provide an electric connector embodying an imf rm a 1011 20 in the flange l1 adjacent the n le proved construction and simple operation so that formed by the ju c ur f the fi er l4 nd'th the minimum number of parts are used, to the flange end that the electrical connector can be simply e l wer end o the finger p ov W t manufactured and easily assembled nd; by h graduated corrugations as 2| which are formed g a minimum number of operating parts, he by distorting the metal into a compound ogee insured of long life and be practical in use. rv as y be n in Fi ur s 4 nd These A still further object is the provision of means corrugations extend upward n the finger M; for positively securing a multiple outlet plug ua y tap ng in to the flat body OfYthe in the conventional outlet. e

Other objects and advantages of the inven- The spr n fi e I 3 s also provided with tion will be apparent during the course of the flange 22 d has means for receiving-and being 'following description, where the construction Secured by the rivet l5 and the'sclew The and rati f t device and arrangement lower end of the finger l3 has graduated corruof part i more fully t forth and described 25 gations' 23 complementary to those in the finger in the subjoined claims. 7 i

In the accompanying drawing forming a part when. the spring fingers are l of this ifi ti and i whiehiike numerals torted from their normally compressed position, 9 indicate like parts throughout the same: as shown'in u 1 n the expanded Figure 1 is a g t d sectional View position shown in Figures 2 and 5, it will be apthrough t plug of my invention howing t' parent that the fingers form a dovetail-shaped i t extended position, element as 9' which firmly and positively grips Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the conthe Contact elements intern)! I h Plugnector in its locking position, receiving socket of aconventional outiet.

Figure 3 is a planned view with portions in sec- Within the P a H I Insert a Shdmg tube tions taken on line of figure 2 which has a knob upon its upper Outer Figure 4 is a sectional view through the spring periphery and a central Passage 25 the fingers of my connector taken on line H of ception of the electric cord to which the plug is. Figure 1 I go be i:statcliaedi4Extendinigrfriom the lower face 4o 0 e u e are a pa 0 res ien sprea er 3 g; g ii g i f Sectmnal'wew taken on 1prongsill igiw. z'ghemlolwir ends 'tof ftlz; prongs I V ave a, por ion w 'c s a par 0 e prong Fjlgure 6 is aview m perspectwe of one of the bent back upon itself and permitted to stand spnpg fingel? of my connector. out at a slight angle from the main body of the Figure 7 is a perspective view of a P01121013." prong. l of the spreader prong used in connection with o In the modified 'fo shown in Figure the my device, and 7 a plug body 30 is provided with a multiple number Figure 8 il ra s a modifiediorm of e of plug receivingsockets 3| and s2 and has the vention as used in connection wi h a multiple usual spring fingers I3 and I4. Interior contact 4 outlet plug. plates (not shown) communicate between the In the drawing; wherein for the Purpose 0f inner ends of the spring fingers l3 and I4 and lustration of my invention is shown a preferred t opening 3| 31 so th t e an l embodiment and a, modified form thereo the .-trical connector is inserted into the sockets 3| numeral l0 designates a plug body which may be and 32, a secure "contact will bemade. Y 7 formed of any suitable insulating material. A w thi the body!!! I provide a sliding member C n passage ll P se longitudinal-1! h h 33 having a'handle 34, and upon the lower end the body It and widens out on the lower. face to f th member 33 is a paipof preaders 23 as form the depression l2. Contactor members 9 previously described; v and 9' each comprise a pair of spring fingers In assembling the plug, the sliding tube with its depending prongs. 28 is inserted into the passage I I, the lower ends of the prongs being passed through slots 20 in the flanges oi the spring fingers I, as may best be seen in Figure 1. Due to the resiliency oi the element 29, and the fact that 1 the slot 20 is substantially twice the thickness of the prong 28, or equal to the thickness of the elements 28, and 29, when element "is compressed against element 28, the ends of the prongs may be passed through the slot 20, and the natural resiliency will cause element 29 to expand after insertion in the slot, as shown in the drawing, between the prongs l3 and 14. By pressing the tube 24 downward into the passage ll its travel being limited by the knob 25, the spring fingers l3 and H are caused to be spread apart or flexed, as shown in Figure 2, so that they more Having thus iully described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters securely grip the inside faces and contact elements of the conventional outlet plug slots. The

. heads of the screws to eflect a connection in the usual manner.

When it is desired to use the plug the spring fingers are inserted into'the electrical outlet with the prongs 28 withdrawn as in Figure 1, and when the contactors are properly seated, pressure upon the handle knob 25 iorces the spreader-s 2! between the fingers l2 and II to flex them and securely grip the outlet sockets.

To remove theplug one merely grasps the knob '25, withdraws the tube 24 upwardly in the passage H to permit the spring fingers" and H to contract against each other as shown in Figure 4, and the connector is then free to be removed. The rearward travel 01 the tube is limited by the the under side oi the flanges H.

In the modified form of Figure 8'no cord is utilized, the object of the device being merely to provide a multiplicityoi plug receiving outlets,

such as a two-way or multiple outlet plug. In the usual manner, the spring fingers "land I are inserted into the sockets of the outlet and the member 33 pressed downwardly toward the body 30 of the plug'so that the spreaders 28-2l will spread the spring fingers and cause them to securely grip the interior face oi the outlet sockets. The construction oi the body 30 is substantially the same as the body III.

. My invention is not to be limited by the drawing to electrical connectors employing a pair ofv contactor members, as 9 and 0', as itis possible I by the use of .the principles of my invention to provide a connector having three or more contactor members; n

It is to be understood that the form of the invention, herewith shown and described, is' to be taken as a preferred example 01' the same, and that various changes inthe shape, size, material and general arrangement of parts'may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

- extending ends oi elements 29 abutting against Patent is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a plug body having a central longitudinal opening, contactor members on said body each comprising a pair oi'resilient fingers, a tube telescopically slidable in said opening. prongs on the tube interposed between the pairs of resilient fingers to flex said fingers upon inward movement oi the slidable tube, each 0! said prongs having a shoulder portionon its outer end cooperable to flex the resilient fingers on inward movement of the slidable end and to limit outward movement oi th slidable tube, and an electrical conductor.

cord inserted through-said tube and said central body opening and having its terminals fixed to said contactor members.

2. An electrical connector comprising a plug body having a-central longitudinal opening, contactor members on said body each comprising a pair-oi resilient fingers having complementary corrugations on their outer ends, a tube telescopically slidable in said opening, prongs on the tube interposed between the pairs of resilient fingers and cooperable with the corrugations to flex said fingers upon inward movement of the slidable tube, each, of said prongs having a shoulder portion on its outer end cooperable to flex the resilient fingers on inward movement 01' the slidable end and to limit outward movement of the slidable tube, and an electrical conductor cord inserted through said tube and said central body opening and having its terminals fixed to said contactor members.

3. An electrical connector comprising a plug body having a central longitudinal opening, contactor members on said body each comprising a pair of resilient fingers having attaching flanges, one flange of each pair being provided with a slot adjacent the juncture with the finger, a tube telescopically slidable in said opening, prongs on I the tube passing through said slot and interposed between the pairs of resilient fingers, said prongs having flared end portions to flex the resilient fingers upon inward movement of the, slidable .tube and cooperable with'the slotted flange to,

limit outward movement of the slidable tube, and an electrical conductor cord inserted through said tube and said central body opening and having its terminals fixed to said contactor members.

4. In an electrical connection of the type in which a. member having fiexure prongs slides in a plug body to fiex resilient fingers carried by the plug body to thereby grip the inner contacts of an outlet receptacle; stop and fiexure means comprising an abutment adjacent each-aperture in the body through which passes a flexure prong,

and a member on each said prong operable to flex the resilient fingers associated therewith upon inward movement of the prongs and cooperable with the adjacent abutment to limit outward movement of the prongs. 4

5. In an electrical connector 01' the. type in which a member having fle'xure prongs slides in a plug body to'fiex resilient fingers carried by the plug body to thereby grip theinner contacts of e an outlet receptacle; abutment means adjacent the base of the resilient fingers, and a barb on said prongs disposed to flex said resilient fingers upon inward movement and'cooperable with saidabutment means to limitoutward movement.

- LEROY 

